Means for removing superfluous solder from sheet-metal cans



( Model 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. s. FELLOWS. MEANS FOR REMOVING SUPERFLUOUS SOLDER FROM SHEET METALCANS.

No. 586,964. Patented July 27,, 1897-.

(No Model.)

v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. 0. s. FELLOWS. MEANS FOR REMOVING SUPERFLUOUS SOLDBRPROM SHEET METAL GANS.

No. 586,964. Patented July 27, 1897.

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- 0. S. PELLOWS..

MEANS FOR REMOVING SUPBRFLUOUS' SOLDER FROM SHEET METAL CANS.

No. 586,964. Patented July 27, 1897.-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIN s. FELLOWS, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR REMOVING SUPERFLUOUS SOLDER FROM SHEET-METAL CANS.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,964, dated July27, 1897. Application filed September I2, 1896. Serial No. 605,598. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIN S. FELLows, a citizen of the United States,residing at Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for RemovingSuperfluous Solder from Sheet-Metal Cans, of which the following is aspecification sufficient to enable others skilled in the art to whichthe invention appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the manufacture of sheet-metal cans in which theend plates are soldered to cylindrical can-bodies. In the ordinaryprocess of manufacture the end plates are applied to the can-bodies, andthe exterior edges of the can thus assembled are successively rolledover and in contact with baths of molten solder, thereby introducing thesolder between the flanges of the end plates and the opposed edges ofthe can-body. This method is simple and desirable, because the solderingoperation is continuous and rapid, but it is wasteful of solder, sincean excess thereof is taken up and carried away by the exterior surfacesof the can, not only adding to the weight and cost of the can, but also.impairing its symmetry.

The object of my invention is to save practically all the superfluoussolder taken up by the cans and at the same time to render them moreperfect and symmetricalin external appearance; and the inventionconsists, essentially, in the use of means for imparting to the cansafter they leave the soldering-bath and while the solder is in a fluidstate a sufficient degree of centrifugal force to throw off the excessof solder from the exterior surfaces of the cans, substantially asherein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of asolder-saving device embodying the essential features for carrying outmy invention. Fig. 2 'is-a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation upon plane of line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionupon plane of, line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Itis obvious that'the necessary degree of centrifugal force may beimparted to the cans after they leave the soldering-bath by variousmechanical expedients and that they may be thus treated individually andintermittently. I prefer, however, to treat them continuously andsimultaneously as they roll from the soldering-bath, and this Iaccomplish by passing them between a traveling surface and a support,shown in the present instance as consisting of two endless belts A andB, speeded to rotate the cans on their axes with suflicient centrifugalforce to throw ofi the excess of solder, one of the belts travelingfaster than the other, so that, the cans received at one end will befinally discharged at the other.

In ordinary practice the cans are trans ferred directly from onesoldering-bath, in which one end of the cans is soldered, to anothersoldering-bath, in which the other end is soldered, the incline of thecans being changed between the baths by a gradual change in incline'ofthe ways. Iinterpose one of my solder-saving devices between the sol-'dering-baths and place another to receive the cans from the secondbath, but they are practically the same in construction and operation,and one description will answer for both.

4" r are the supporting-rails which convey the cans from thesoldering-bath,.and1" r the supporting-rails which convey the cans frommy solder-saving device. 9 g are guard-rails which preserve thealinement of the cans. The rails r r feed the cans in between the beltsA B. These belts are supported by the pulleys a ot a and b b 6 mountedupon the shafts d d d and e 6 6 respectively. The upper series of shaftsd d d are adjustable vertically in their bearings, so that the spacebetween the belts AB may be regulated ac curat-ely to meet therequirements of the cans under treatment. The pulleys a and b areidlers.

Power and speed are imparted by the powerbelt P to the pulley 10 on theshaft (1, upon which is also mounted the pulley t, by which the power istransmitted through the belt T to the pulley 6 upon the shaft 6 Thepulley 6 being of greater diameter than the pulley t, it is obvious thatthe belt B will travel at a slower speed than that of the belt A. Thebelts travel in the direction indicated by the arrows. The dottedcircles indicate the sheetmetal cans.

The cans fed to the device by the rails "r are seized by and between thebelts A B, which rotate them on their longitudinal axes with sufficientspeed to throw off by centrifugal force the superfluous solder in dropsand particles, which are subsequently collected and returned to thesoldering-bath. Owing to the difference in speed of the belts A B thecans are finally discharged into the rails r 0', their time of passagethrough the device being regulated by the relative speeds imparted tosaid belts.

In order to economize space, the belts A B are preferably arranged totravel in opposite directions as well as at different speeds, as shownin the drawings, although it is obvious that a similar result may beattained by the use of belts traveling in the same direction but atdifferent speeds, provided the run is made of sufiicient length, or asingle belt may be used in connection with a stationary way or support.

I have found by practical test and experience that by my method ofutilizing centrifugal force for the recovery of superfluous solder, asset forth, I can effect a material saving in the cost of soldering endcaps to can bodies and at the same time produce cans of superior andmore uniform appearance.

\Vhere one belt moves at a greater speed than the other, as the upperbelt in the accompanying drawings, such faster-moving belt not onlyforwards the cans through the apparatus, but also spaces them so thatthey pass through without contact with each other. I11 other words, thefaster belt naturally grasps and forwards each can as fed to it in suchmanner that it will be in advance and out of contact with the nextsucceeding can, and this relation of the cans is maintained until theyare discharged at the opposite end of the apparatus.

I am aware that it has been proposed to pass cans through acooling-machine by means of fingers or separators on an endless beltacting in conjunction with the opposed surface of a belt traveling inthe opposite direction, as in the patent to Kendall, No. 469,389, datedFebruary 23, 1892, but that patent does not anticipate the essentialprinciple of my invention, neither does it show my special constructionand arrangement of parts for giving practical effect thereto. The objectof the Kendall device is to effect the cooling of the cans in less timeand space than formerly,

even resorting to a cold-air blast for this purpose, and he utilizescentrifugal force only for the purpose of retaining the excess of solderon the cans by preventing the running and dripping of the melted solder,whereas I drive off the superfluous solder by means of centrifugalforce, thereby effecting greater perfection and economy in themanufacture of the can, results entirely new to the state of the art.

Furthermore, the separating-fingers for spacing and forwarding the cansare indispensable in the Kendall device, since the apparatus would beinoperative without them, whereas I space and forward the cans by adifference in the relative speed of the opposed surfaces of the belts,the cans not being dragged forcibly along, but rolling independently andnaturally throughthe apparatus.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a solder-saving device, the combination of an endless travelingsurface and an opposed can-support arranged to receive the cans betweenthem, and means for producing a relative motion between said travelingsurface and can-support, whereby a speed of rotation is imparted to thecans sufficient to throw off from said cans, by centrifugal force, anyexcess of melted solder, substantially in the manner described.

2. In a solder-saving device, the combination of two endless belts withopposed surfaces arranged to receive the cans between them, said opposedsurfaces traveling in opposite directions and at different speeds sothat the cans are spaced and forwarded by the faster-moving belt whilethe slower-moving belt increases the axial rotation of the cans, andmeans for producing a relative motion between said opposed belt surfaceswhereby a speed of rotation is imparted to the cans sufficient to throwoff from said cans, by centrifugal force, any excess of melted solder,substantially in the manner described.

OLIN S. FELLOWS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE WILLIAM l\[IA'lT, D. W. GARDNER.

